State Library Awards 2011-2013 Family Literacy Grants
October 2011
Family literacy library services will be expanded or newly offered through 91 public libraries, library branches and public library systems with the help of grants from the New York State Library, Deputy Commissioner for the State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education, Jeffrey Cannell announced today. The projects total $234,745 in the first year and are beginning now or in some cases have begun already.
"New York State’s Family Literacy Library Services grants enable public libraries and public library systems to develop or expand their services to parents, caregivers and children," said Mr. Cannell. "Libraries will partner with schools and other community agencies to help parents provide early literacy experiences and activities that are crucial for children’s success in school and beyond."
For more information about the grant program, contact Cassandra Artale, Library Development Specialist, in the New York State Library, Division of Library Development, at (518) 474-1479, or via email at cartale@mail.nysed.gov.
The following public libraries and public library systems are receiving NYS Family Literacy Library Services awards for 2011-2013. NOTE that award amounts listed are for 2011-2012 only.
Brooklyn Public Library (Kings County) – $39,817; Brooklyn GameSpace. BPL will partner with Global Kids, a non-profit organization that focuses on global learning and multimedia literacy, to offer four 90-minute workshops on gaming, storytelling and new media. Global Kids will develop a curriculum on new media and digital literacy to be used as a train-the-trainer model for the 60 BPL young adult librarians and technical resources specialists. "Family Gaming Nights" will be offered at 33 branches over two years and 1,800 programs are planned to help teens develop logic, problem solving and literacy skills.
Finger Lakes Library System (Tompkins County) – $15,637; Wow! World of Words Library Babytime! The Finger Lakes Library System will partner with Ulysses Philomathic Library, Southworth Library and Family Reading Partnership. Dr. Susan Neuman and Caroline Blakemore will conduct two workshops to train staff in conducting baby story times. The Wow! Literacy project will provide 36 (weekly for 9 months) baby storytimes and 21 (biweekly all year) multi-age storytimes at both libraries. The Family Reading Partnership will provide performers and materials through their Love Songs for Babies program.
Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Library (Suffolk County) – $28,319; Literacy Is a Family Affair. The library will partner with the Community Family Literacy Project, Literacy Suffolk and the William Floyd School District. Immigrant parents and their children will participate in life skills workshops and vocabulary-building activities which will include field trips. Seasonal/cultural themes will be incorporated.
Mohawk Valley Library System (Schenectady County) – $39,547; Comics Connect: Using Graphic Novels to Boost Literacy. Eight libraries in the Mohawk Valley Library System and 13 libraries in the Upper Hudson Library System will collaborate with local schools and parent organizations. Graphic novels will be used with boys in grades 3-6 to build heightened interest in reading. The project will also increase library use and inform parents and educators about graphic literature through workshops, library programs, expanded collections and classroom kits.
Nioga Library System (Niagara County) – $25,797; Music, Movement and Literacy. Librarians in all 21 Nioga Library System member libraries, community caregivers, and teachers, will learn to use music to promote literacy skills. Music will be added to story programs at three libraries that serve the largest communities in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee Counties. Teachers from Head Start and librarians will attend workshops by Betsy Zahnisel, author of The Music Box during the first project year and Buffalo and Brandy, children's music performers, during the second year. Parents and educators will have access to kits which include music-related DVDs, CDs and musical instruments.
Oneida Library (Madison County) – $11,848; Let's Play! Putting the Joy Back Into Literacy. The library will partner with the Oneida City School District, Tri-Valley YMCA, and Madison County Reads Ahead Coalition to offer three six-week sessions each year. Programs will highlight game play, and literacy skills such as print awareness and narrative skills. The first year project focus will be emerging readers, four- to seven-years old. The second year will focus on infants to three-year-olds.
Onondaga County Public Library (Onondaga County) – $33,963; A.B.C.: Access Books and Computers @ Your Library. The program will provide parents and caregivers of children ages 3-5 with access to age-appropriate software to build skills in reading, art, music, math, geography and more. Self-contained, child-friendly computers, Early Literacy Stations (ELS), will provide an alternative to recreational computer use and support for school readiness. 24 themed story hours will be offered and will incorporate demonstration of the ELS.
Town of Gainesville Public Library (Wyoming County) – $39,817; The Family Literacy Partnership. The library will partner with Literacy West NY, Inc. to provide early and family literacy skills workshops for children and families at seven libraries in Wyoming and Allegany Counties. Three- and four-year old children from rural communities without access to pre-K will attend weekly classes with their parent or caregiver. The Letter People curriculum will be used to present a new letter each week and take home activities will ensure children retain and reinforce their new skills.
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